President Bush this morning stood by his beleaguered Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Bush said Gonzales “gave a very candid assessment” and “answered every answer he could possibly answer, honestly answer, in a way that increased my confidence in his ability to do his job.” He concluded, “Some senators didn’t like his explanation, but he answered as honestly as he could.” Watch it:
Bush’s vigorous defense of Gonzales can be seen as an effort to shield the White House from scrutiny. McClatchy notes Gonzales’ testimony “failed to resolve Congress’ central questions,” specifically “who in the Bush administration conceived the plan to fire eight U.S. attorneys and why. … Absent another explanation, the signs point to the White House and, at least in some degree, to the president’s political adviser, Karl Rove.”
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